About the Upstate Institute

What We Do

Colgate's Upstate Institute provides connections between the university and the regional community to engage students, faculty, staff, and residents in research and a reciprocal transfer of knowledge. Our projects provide a model of community collaboration and civic engagement for our students and within higher education. The institute values scholarly collaboration as a way to support the Upstate New York region. We accomplish our goals through five core activities:

1. Regional Research
We encourage faculty and student research on the upstate region of New York by providing support for research costs and publication. READ MORE

2. Community-based learning
Our Field School matches student fellows with organizations in the community to develop and implement projects that bolster organizational capacity and have a positive social, economic, cultural, or environmental impact on the region. We also support community engagement within the framework of academic courses. Often referred to as community-based research and learning, these opportunities give faculty and students a new strategy for teaching and learning. We also provide opportunities for students to develop skills through projects such as the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, the Consumer Bankruptcy Law Project, the Foreign Language Program, and the Finding Money for Social Change Course.

3. Community Conversations
The Upstate Institute promotes the discussion of issues affecting the Upstate region through sponsorship of important events and forums. We support regional dialogue on local issues like rural education, natural gas, agriculture, and local history. The events we have supported in the past include: